Working Groups for Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012)

Information Technology

Dated 24th April 2006

In the context of preparation of Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012) it has been decided to constitute a Working Group on Information Technology Sector to make recommendations on the various policy matters relevant to the formulation of the Eleventh Five Year Plan for Information technology Sector.

II. The composition of the proposed working groups will be as follows:

III.  The terms of reference to the Working Group are as follows:

1. To evolve strategies to become world leaders in:
   1. IT software and services including ITES
   2. IT and Electronics hardware manufacturing
   3. Provide highly skilled manpower for the sector
2. To review existing policies and evolve an approach for the Information Technology sector for the Eleventh Plan keeping in view the comparative advantage, strengths and weaknesses of Indian electronics and IT industry, international scenario and the national goal of making India IT and Electronics superpower. Also to examine the organizational structure under the Department of Information Technology and suggest measures to make it more relevant to the emerging needs.
3. To put in place the basic policy framework and fiscal incentives for making India a major regional hub for electronic/IT manufacturing including high-end. The H/w manufacturing hub should be coupled with R and D centers of excellence. IPR creation should be incentivised.
4. To assess and project year wise capacity, export and production potential for the different sub-sectors of electronics and IT industry taking into account domestic and international markets.
5. To drive the National e-Governance Programme with all stake holders for implementing the Mission Mode Projects in a time bound manner and put in place the requisite infrastructure for providing web enabled e-governance services before 2008.
6. To assess the impact of IT sector and suggest measures to improve use of IT in various fields for increasing productivity, bringing in socioeconomic development and services like e-medicine, e-education, e-entertainment especially to the rural areas.
7. Plan, assess and prepare a framework for manpower development by assessing the present and future needs of the industry including emerging areas in IT and IT related disciplines.
8. To identify gaps in existing skill sets in different ITES - BPO/KPO verticals and suggest programs for bridging them through formal and non-formal sectors.
9. Establish a state-of-the-art Info-Nano-Bio research institute for capacity building and to undertake R and D activities.
10. To develop a mission mode project for continuous upgradation of knowledge and skills of teachers in electronics, computer science and engineering, IT and related disciplines through e-learning and instruction design for capacity building. 
11. To identify future technological areas of growth and evolve strategies to stay ahead of competition.
12. To work out strategies and evolve a mission mode programme to introduce technology into the educational institutions by converting the existing schools into smart schools and creating wired educational campuses in a phased manner.
13. To develop programs to facilitate software product development through active participation of industry and academia with adequate incentive framework.
14. To evolve mission mode approach towards creation of relevant content in Indian languages for wide scale applications and use of IT.
15. To work out an Action Plan, including organisational structure for obtaining recognition of non formal courses being offered by DOEACC.
16. To implement the digital signature regime to facilitate secured transaction in all sectors on a Mission Mode basis and to work out an action Plan for capacity building in cyber security field.
17. Any other item that the Working group deems necessary to be included for making recommendations useful.
18. Any other item that the Working group deems necessary to be included for making recommendations useful. 

IV. The Working Group may set up Sub Groups to go into specific issues/areas in the sector and or for detailed information gathering and analysis.  The Chairman of the Working Group may co-opt any person whose knowledge or expertise is considered to be useful to the Working Group or the Sub Groups and may invite any such person to specific meetings.

V. The non-official members of the Group will be paid TA/DA by Planning Commission as per SR 190 (a) for attending meetings of the Committee.

VI. The Group will be serviced by Department of Information Technology

VII.  The Working Group shall submit its report by 31^st July, 2006.